- Published:
- Friday 9 October 2026
A State Memorial Service to honour the life of Dr Tim Read will be held at 3:30pm on Wednesday, 28 October at the Melbourne Town Hall.
Tim will be remembered as one of Victoria’s most respected parliamentarians, serving the people of Brunswick and the state with distinction over eight years in Parliament.
Before entering Parliament, Tim was a doctor and medical researcher. He began his career as a general practitioner in community health before specialising in sexual health in the public system.
As a respected researcher, he completed a PhD on HIV epidemiology and vaccine prevention of STIs and contributed to over 60 peer-reviewed medical publications.
Tim was elected as the member for Brunswick in 2018, and over the following eight years, he championed action on climate change, improved sustainable transport, and campaigned for democratic safeguards, integrity reforms and stronger protections for renters.
His commitment to improving public health outcomes contributed to significant legislative and policy reforms, including pill testing, tobacco licensing, and the development of a statewide plan to eliminate congenital syphilis and HIV transmission.
Among his many achievements, Tim played a leading role in enabling gay men to donate blood and legislating a statutory ban on solitary confinement in Victorian prisons.
As the first non-government chair of Parliament’s Integrity and Oversight Committee, Tim led an inquiry to strengthen Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) and anti-corruption laws. His work helped deliver reforms expanding IBAC’s powers, which passed Parliament in the days after his death.
Tim will be remembered as a proud and passionate Green and a principled changemaker who led with sincerity, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of Victorians.
The State Memorial will be open to the public and live streamed online.
Further details about how to attend or how to view the live stream will be shared in due course, with the most up to date information available at vic.gov.au/TimRead.
Quotes attributable to Premier Ben Carroll
“Tim was a beloved parliamentarian who led with respect, integrity, and a deep commitment to the people of Brunswick and Victoria.”
“Among his many achievements over his eight years in Parliament, Tim led significant reforms across public health, transport and integrity – leaving an enduring legacy for our state.”